INTERVIEW BY JIM DOOLEY

August 27, 2000

This interview originally appeared in Full Watts Vol. 4, No. 3

Cedric Im Brooks has been involved in Jamaican music for over forty years now. Although he is probably best known for his many wonderful Studio One saxophone instrumentals, his career goes back even further to the early days of ska.

From his work with the Vagabonds, to the formation of the Mystic Revelation of Rastafari, and on to his more recent Skatalites membership, Brooks has made a distinct and lasting contribution to Jamaican music. While his Jazz and African influences have always been clear, his various albums have also explored the roots of Jamaican styles as well. On the one hand, you get engaging music, and on the other, a valuable history lesson.

Today, with a busy Skatalites recording and touring schedule, and a new solo album (A No Nut'n) in the shops, Cedric is as busy as ever. With this interview I have attempted to form an outline of his remarkable career - to tell the complete story of his involvement and influence would require an encyclopedia sized book. I want to thank Cedric for taking the time to speak with me - I learned a lot. Thanks as well to Lynn Taitt, Ken Bilby and Jackie Watson.

JD - One thing that has been puzzling me for year is your name - the Im part. Where did that come from?

CB - That's me.

JD - How did you get that nickname?

CB - That's not a nickname, that's my name. That's my real name. That's my spiritual name.

JD - I understand. So you have always had that name ...

CB - Yes, that's me.

JD - ... and Cedric is your given name.

CB - Yes.

JD - I gather that as a youth, you attended the Alpha School.

CB - Yes.

JD - Who all was there at the time? Were there other musicians you were playing with at the time?

CB - Yes, Don Drummond, of course. Johnny 'Dizzy' Moore, Jo Jo Bennett, Sparrow Martin ... a host of them.

JD - The various guys that went on to become the Skatalites.

CB - Right, some of them. Some were before me, some I was with them.

JD - Did you learn to play the horn then, or had you been playing before that?

CB - Well, I learned to play the clarinet - started out with that.

JD - When you were younger, what was the first band you played with?

CB - The first band that I played with was the Vagabonds. I played tenor with the Vagabonds.

JD - How did you know Lynn Taitt in those days?

CB - We played in .... I think, the Cavaliers we played together. We did play in a band together, the Cavaliers or the Sheiks - one of those groups we played in together. Actually, we became friends, and we kept in touch, regardless of which other bands we were playing in.

JD - Was that after the Vagabonds?

CB - Actually, I can't remember exactly how we met. I know we met while I was with the Vagabonds, and we used to hang out together. I don't remember exactly (laughter) ... my memory not serve me too well.

JD - That would have been in the early 60's sometime ...

CB - Right.

JD - ... Because, I know Lynn came to Jamaica for independence.

CB - We played in a number of things together. I never really thought about it (laughter), I just know that we used to hang out together. Even after we were in different groups we would just hang out after the groups played, and all that kind of stuff.

JD - When you were with the Vagabonds, did you do any studio work? Did you do any recording in those days, or was it mainly live shows?

CB - I did mainly live shows, but the recording I did was with the Vagabonds, and outside of the Vagabonds. We did a couple of things for the group, but I didn't do the regular studio recordings. Well, I shouldn't say that - I did a couple of things for Lord Creator.

JD - That must have been very early.

CB - Yeah, very early. I think it was his first recordings in Jamaica.

JD - Do you remember what studio those tracks were recorded at?

CB - Federal.

JD - That's a long time ago. How did you first become associated with Count Ossie?

CB - Well, I knew him before I left Jamaica, but our association, as far as actually coming into a musical situation, was when I came back to Jamaica.

JD - What years were you gone for?

CB - Well, I left in 1965, and then I came back in 1970.

JD - Were you in America?

CB - I was in the Bahamas and America.

JD - So you came back in 1970.

CB - Well, 1969 really. I was playing a couple of gigs, and I used to go up on the hills - Rennock Lodge. I used to do the drummer sessions up there. I used to do some other jazz gigs in different places, and invite Ossie's group, as the drummers, to come play with us. So that was a pretty nice little feeling and exchange that we had. Then we decided to make it become a permanent situation. My group was called the Mystics, and he was Count Ossie and the African Drummers. So we decided to cement the two groups, and we called it the Mystic Revelation of Rastafari.

JD - I have to ask you about the 'Grounation' album, which is still considered a landmark ... it seems impossible to me now that a triple album could have got made in Jamaica ... but it is still a highly regarded album. How did that project come about?

CB - The producer was a friend of mine named Arnold Wedderburn. He was a music enthusiast.

JD - Is he a Jamaican?

CB - Yes. We discussed the project and ... they actually put together a new studio. They started a new studio, and asked me to do the project. I spoke with Count, and we got together with Count Ossie and we did it. This was one of the first recordings for this studio. It was called New Dimensions. Of course, after we did it, and I think a couple more things were done at the studio, they went out of business. And then the recording became pretty popular - went to England and was popular. The rest is history.

JD - It's still in circulation. During the years you spent in the Bahamas and America, were you still playing music? Were you playing jazz, or were you playing in different bands?

CB - Yeah, actually I was with Carlos Malcolm's group up there.

JD - Where was he based at the time?

CB - He was in Freeport, Bahamas. I actually started when Carlos' group went back, and played with a couple of groups. Peanut Taylor in Nassau, and then Teddy Greaves put together a group in Freeport, and I was with that group for a little while.

JD - So you just kept getting work in the Bahamas and stayed.

CB - Right. Then I left for Philadelphia, and I started to do a little school. I met some musicians there, and started to go to school there. And then I had to come back to Jamaica for family matters - one of my daughters was born then, so I came back for that ...

JD - Did you do any recording while you were with Carlos Malcolm?

CB - No, not with him.

JD - Coming back to the 'Grounation' album for a second. I want to ask you about your influences on that record - mainly African, obviously, the Nyahbingi ... that type of music. Did you hear a lot of that when you were younger? Where were you hearing that music?

CB - Actually, I was coming from Philadelphia, and of course one of my main influences ... one of my friends was a member of Sun Ra's group. Actually we used to play together. He was one of the young drummers - Hakim was his name. He used to take me around, and I went to see Sun Ra. Actually, I was about to get involved with the group when I eventually had to go back to Jamaica. But, I like Sun Ra's approach, and of course I used to go to a lot of jazz concerts. Actually, Sonny Rollins was, at the time, one of my greatest influences. I did get a chance to see him in concert there, as well as a number of other people who were very influential at the time - I saw them in Philadelphia. So, I brought back a lot of that kind of influence with me.

JD - How did you end up at Coxsone's studio?

CB - Actually, I don't remember exactly. I know that when I came back, I went to Coxsone's studio. We started a relationship then - when I just got back from the States. I started a number of recordings then.

JD - With Dave Madden.

CB - With Dave Madden, yes. As Im and Dave.

JD - Some wonderful instrumentals.

CB - Then, it's out of that relationship ... I actually started the group with Dave and some other musicians. We got together and started the Mystics.

JD - How did you find working at Studio One?

CB - Well, it was OK. For me it was OK. I had a pretty free hand in most of the stuff that I did.

JD - Did you work a lot with Leroy Sibbles and Jackie Mittoo?

CB - Well, not very much. I had different kinds of projects, you know. I did some of the stuff with them, and some of the stuff with ... well, there was a young group that was there. I worked with both Sibbles group, and a young group called Soul Defenders.

JD - There are some amazing rhythms that are still in circulation. Why do you think those rhythms have done so well, and are still constantly recycled?

CB - Well, at the time, they were really very fresh rhythms. They were, sort of, different from the regular stream of rhythms at the time. They just stood out over a period of time.

JD - I was talking to Leroy a while ago, and I said that I think one of the reasons why they have lasted so long is that they sound a little rough. They are not so smooth that they just float by.

CB - Yeah, I understand. I guess that is the kind of honesty and freshness that they brought to it. Everybody, I guess, kind of fell into a pattern that existed then, and they were coming with completely new ideas.

JD - Were you mainly working with Sylvan Morris in those days?

CB - Yeah, he was the main engineer at the time.

JD - How about Larry Marshall?

CB - Larry Marshall, yeah, he was one of the singers there at the time too.

JD - Your 'Im Flash Forward' album is another one that is still in circulation.

CB - Yes.

JD - In my opinion , it's probably the best reggae instrumental album. How do you feel about it? Do you think it still sounds great? Are you happy with it?

CB - Yeah, well, it's good (laughter). What can I say? You know, it's difficult for me to really talk about it in that manner.

JD - I think what makes it a unique record, is that the horns sound almost dream like. I can't think of another Jamaican album that has horns that soft ... a floating sort of sound. It's an original lp in a lot of ways.

CB - Yes, yes.

JD - Do you think that Mr. Dodd will ever put out a second one? Surely there is enough ... I know that there are a lot of other singles that were around at the time. There has got to be enough for a second album. Do you think it will ever happen?

CB - Well, actually we were talking about it the other day, because I actually ... a couple of years ago I started another album there, but again I had to leave. I was living in the Cayman Islands at the time, so I had to take leave to deal with my family again. Because I had been away from my family for a little while, so I needed to go back and deal with my family at the time.

JD - Right. So you think you might do another project with him.

CB - Yeah, I spoke with him the other day, and, you know, we are contemplating doing something again. I just ... I've been on the road, so I haven't really settled in to get to it.

JD - He has had a fair amount of success with some younger singers using a lot of those original rhythms ... people like Glen Washington.

CB - Right.

JD - Obviously he still has tons of stuff in the vaults as well.

CB - Yeah, that's right.

JD - How did the Light of Saba group come about?

CB - Light of Saba was when I left Count Ossie. I actually wanted to do a little bit more with the other rhythms - beside the Rastafari rhythms. Of course, Count Ossie is the icon of Rastafari rhythms. He is basically the one than honed that particular style of rhythm. He is a symbol of the purity of that rhythm. So, it was kind of difficult to really interject other kinds of rhythms with the Rasta rhythms.

JD - At that point you were interested in pursuing a bit more Jazz and African ...

CB - Yes, and some more of the traditional Jamaican rhythms, like Kumina, Mento and all of that kind of stuff. It would have been a little bit out of the scheme of things to do that, you know. So I was able to do that with Light of Saba.

JD - It was more your group.

CB - Yes, and at the same time, you know, still keeping the same Afra-vibes and Rasta ...

JD - I was recently listening to the 'United Africa' lp, and I hear a lot of what you were just describing.

CB - Yes, that evolved out of Saba again. Because I used to be ... I was on the jazz circuit basically, so the Light of Saba were basically the people that I, more or less, taught. Because most of them were young musicians. So we did that particular kind of thing. At that point also, I started to add a little bit more of the jazz influence. I tried to bring the African element into the jazz arena (laughter).

JD - It was, in some ways, reminiscent of the work that Fela did.

CB - Right, exactly.

JD - Was he a big influence on you as well?

CB - He was a very big influence ... very big influence, because he was expressing exactly what I was thinking - the kind of thoughts I had.

JD - Did you ever have a chance to see him live, or meet him?

CB - No, but it was a pleasure the other day - I was in Europe and met his son Femi. He has a fantastic group going. He is kept alive the same kind of elements as his father. It's really nice.

JD - A couple of months ago I saw Fela's former drummer, Tony Allen, with a group. They were very good as well. Some very interesting old and new styles of music.

CB - Yes.

JD - Is the 'United Africa' album still in print?

CB - Yes, it is. Actually I was in Jamaica the other day and we didn't get far in the negotiations, but there is still a company in Florida who is distributing the album.

JD - I want to ask you a little bit about sessions with Sonia Pottinger. In particular your work with Culture. How did you get involved with those sessions?

CB - Actually, Culture started with Coxsone ...

JD - I was going to ask you if you met at Studio One.

CB - Yeah, we met at Studio One. As a matter of fact I was on his first records at Studio One.

JD - I guess Joseph was mainly working as a percussionist with the Soul Defenders in those days.

CB - Right.

JD - I know he did a few vocal cuts for Coxsone as well. So you knew Hill before the Sonia Pottinger albums. Did you work for anybody other than Culture while you were at Treasure Isle?

CB - No ... I actually did some stuff for myself, and I did some sessions with other artists - who it was, I can't remember right off. I did some things of my own with Sonia.

JD - Has that stuff been released?

CB - Yeah, there is stuff that is out there.

JD - Clive Hunt was involved in those Pottinger sessions as well I believe.

CB - ...... Yes, yes.

JD - I'm testing your memory.

CB - Yeah (laughter).

JD - What was Joseph Hill like to work with in the studio?

CB - Well, he was pretty good. He is somebody that I really admired very much. He was really good. Then again, he was one of the guys that had really fresh ideas - really original kinds of ideas. It was really nice to work with that kind of vibe.

JD - A lot of musicians I've interviewed over the years have commented on how spontaneous Joseph is in the studio - he comes up with songs, sort of, off the top of his head.

CB - Right. That was really one of his trademarks.

JD - How about the Wailing Souls? Do you remember doing any sessions with them as well?

CB - I think I did a couple of horn tracks on some of their stuff, but not too many.

JD - One other group from that era that made a big impact was the Abyssinians. I know you did some work with them as well. Did you first encounter them at Studio One?

CB - At Studio One, yes.

JD - And you played on some of their later sessions in the late 70's as well.

CB - Right. Well, we became friends, the Manning family. As a matter of fact, they were also in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church - so we kind of got a little further acquainted , because I was a member of the church at the same time.

JD - Another project I want to ask you about is the first Black Uhuru album, 'Love Crisis'.

CB - I wasn't involved with it.

JD - You don't remember having any involvement with it?

CB - No, I don't remember (laughter).

JD - Really, because you are listed in the credits.

CB - I might have. I tell you, I might have, because ... one strange thing about it, is that Puma - actually she left my group to join Black Uhuru. She was part of my group, United Africa.

JD - Interesting .. so maybe you did do the sessions.

CB - Yes (laughter).

JD - I'm sure it must be difficult to keep track - being in the business as long as you have been.

CB - Yeah, right.

JD - I want to ask you about something a bit more recent - a U.K. group called Jazz Jamaica.

CB - Yes, I played on some of their tracks.

JD - On the 'Skaravan' album. Did you go to the U.K. to do those sessions?

CB - I was there actually. I was doing a couple of things with a U.K. based group. Every time I used to go - they did a cultural tour for different countries, and I went with a Caribbean music village, and was doing some traditional Caribbean music. I think it was the year that I was with the Ethiopian ... there was a Ethiopian village the following year. I think 1993. So, I was there with the Ethiopian traditional entourage. Then they asked me to participate on that album.

JD - Now did you know any of those Jazz Jamaica players at the time? - like Eddie 'Tan Tan' Thornton or Michael 'Bammi' Rose.

CB - Yeah, I knew 'Tan Tan' and 'Bammi' Rose - they were my friends.

JD - You knew them from Jamaica?

CB - Right.

JD - That must have been interesting. It's a really good sounding record.

CB - Yeah, I really liked doing it.

JD - I know more recently you have been back doing work with the Skatalites. Do you remember when you first played with the group?

CB - I've played on and off. I mean, I did sit in with the group on a number of different occasions before. I started playing full time after Roland died.

JD - But, prior to that , you had done a few sessions.

CB - Yeah, I had done a few sessions.

JD - But nothing in the 60's - this was all after they reformed.

CB - Yes, after they reformed. In the 60's I was kind of busy. When I was off, I would go and see them, but not really to play with them. Because Vagabonds was a busy group at the time. As a matter of fact, the Vagabonds was actually formed before the Skatalites.

JD - Do you remember who was in the Vagabonds originally?

CB - Colston Chen was the leader of the group ... people like Ian Phillipson on keyboards, Paul Lawton - percussion, Lloyd Chung on vocals and percussion, Stanley Yap-Chung the drummer, Trevor Lopez guitarist, Wallace Wilson guitarist. And a number of people passed through, like Danny Simpson, Carol McLaughlin saxophonist, a singer named Lloyd Williams ... people like Tony Gregory, Derrick Harriott, Calypso Joe, Count Prince Miller, and of course Jimmy James - who, when they left for England, was the fronter of the band. He was fronting the band, and actually became the leader of the band.

JD - So, how does it feel to be playing live with Brevett and Knibb after all these years?

CD - Well, it's good.

JD - I'm sure it's a lot of touring compared to what you are used to. They do a lot of shows still, don't they?

CD - Yeah, they certainly do.

JD - Lynn Taitt was telling me that he joined the Skatalites on stage in Montreal recently.

CB - Oh yes, that was really, really nice. A really nice performance. I think he played two or three songs.

JD - I'm sure it has been a while since he played with some of those guys - at least live.

CB - Yes. It was really a kind of nostalgic feeling.

JD - What is next for the Skatalites? Are you planning to do any recording, or more touring?

CB - We just completed a recording. The recording is out now ... we have a recording out now called 'Bashaka'.

JD - What label is it on?

CD - It's on Haughton's label (Marston Recording Corp.). It's a Jamaican by the name of Ralston 'Stamma' Haughton. He is in Sarasota.

JD - Is that where you recorded it - in Florida?

CB - Yeah, we recorded it in Florida at Criteria Studios. It's really nice. A pretty good album.

JD - As I mentioned to you before the interview, I saw you a couple of weeks ago - performing live in Woodstock, New York with Half Pint. How did that team get together?

CB - Actually, I'm kind of working with that team here in New York. When I'm here, I work with them. They operate Kingston Studio. Courtney and myself have a little business, and, as a matter of fact, out of his Kingston Studio, I have a new CD coming out.

JD - Great! Do you know what it is going to be called?

CB - Yeah, 'A No Nut'n'. (laughter)

JD - (laughter) That's going to be the title - 'A No Nut'n'? What label is it going to be on?

CB - We have our own little label at the moment called 'Zema'. Zema is an Ethiopian word for music or chant.

JD - What style of music is it - or is it all different styles?

CB - This one is sort of reggae - sort of easy listening kind of reggae. More in the style of 'Flash Forward', but I kind of update it. It has some ska cuts on it, and some others really just easy ... and again the rhythms, done by Courtney and Derrick Barnett, are a little bit different. They are a little more interesting than other records, but still have the same flavor of the regular pop music.

JD - Those gentlemen you mentioned, Courtney and Derrick, they were part of Half Pint's band. What's the name of their band?

CB - Courtney is the bass player, and he is the leader of the Kingston group - he is the leader of the group that you saw there - the Kingston Crew.

JD - What part of New York are they based in?

CB - In Brooklyn, and he has a studio on Atlantic Avenue, and that is basically where we are based - Kingston Studio.

JD - I'm looking forward to hearing your album when it comes out. When was the last time you had an album out? It's been a while.

CB - Quite a while.

JD - What do you think .... yourself being someone who is very aware of the history of Jamaican music, from moment one almost ... what do you make of the reggae scene today? How do you feel about it? How do you see it developing? What kind of future do you think it has?

CB - Well, I mean, music is a reflection of the environment of society. So whatever is happening in the society will really come out in the music. You can see, really, the kind of turmoil that is going on in Jamaica presently. So, it is definitely a reflection of that kind of situation that is happening today in the land. But, music will always find its own level, in any place. No matter what the situation is, it will find its own level - and something will happen, because the creative energies in any area, any country, among any people, will always come to the fore.

JD - True. It's kind of been a little bit encouraging recently, in that there has been ... some of the music coming out of Jamaica hasn't been quite as minimal - that hard, stiff digital sound. Some people are sort of adding on to that, with either acoustic guitars, or brass ... it's been a little bit encouraging.

CB - It's .. you know, you will find the economic conditions are really so grave, that people do what they have to do to get something going. That is part of the condition that helps to make the music the way it is. But, you will always find the artists who will, you know, just go for the purity of the music, the art itself, or his own convictions - whatever it is. Those are some of the things. The systems, the radio stations and all those things, the marketing system that really projects the music for the people ... has to be looked at, and we really have to get some of our people inside of that kind of media too. Help to really make, whatever the artist work, come to the fore. We do need a lot of support from the people who really count ....

Material Copyright ©2005

2005, Jim Dooley

All photos (except LP and CD artwork) and text by Jim Dooley

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